Magazine will focus on youth in Golden Triangle

The Golden Triangle''s sports standouts of the future are about to get the star treatment thanks to Anthony Colom.

The longtime Columbus resident is prepared to bring back his Junior Varsity Magazine next month. The 32-page, glossy sports magazine will highlight youth sports in Clay, Lowndes, and Oktibbeha counties.

Colom, who also is the owner of New Power Magazine, an urban lifestyles magazine that focuses on arts, entertainment, and culture, unveiled a copy of the JV Magazine in 2007. He said area residents enjoyed the initial newsprint offering.

But Colom said he put that project on the "backburner" to concentrate on New Power Magazine.

With so many people asking him about JV Magazine and with another youth football season quickly approaching, Colom decided the time was right to bring the magazine back.

Colom also is a youth football coach in Columbus.

"I think it''s a cool idea because you see Sports Illustrated for adults and I wanted to do something for the kids and to interview them," Colom said. "I think it will be something special for them to open up and to see themselves. I think it also will be fun for their parents and their grandparents."

Colom said the first issue of the bi-monthly magazine will go to print next month. He said it will come out in a 5 1/2x8 1/2 format. It also will be available digitally at jvfootball.net.

Colom hopes to have the magazine available at record stores, convenience stores, and other businesses in the Golden Triangle. He said subscriptions can be purchased by calling him at 662-251-0075, or by going to newpowermagazine.com or by going to jvfootball.net.

Colom said his staff of seven will work to produce both magazines.

"I really do feel it will succeed," Colom said. "Every parent and grandparent likes to see their children participate in sports, and I think they will get a big kick out of seeing their children in print and in a glossy magazine. A lot of people have been looking for to it, and I have never seen it done as a high school magazine, and I really don''t see anything like this (for youth sports)."